Athanasios 5's father was ambitious for him to achieve worldly success; he therefore took charge of his son's education and afterwards sent him to be a clerk (γραφεύς) in the department of the logothesion, which he regarded as the key to a successful career (καὶ παιδευθεὶς παρ'αὐτῷ εἰς ἄκρον τὰ γράμματα τῶν δημοσίων χαρτίων γραφεὺς παρεδόθη εἰς τὸ λεγόμενον λογοθέσιον); however Athanasios 5 wanted to become a monk, a wish which met with fierce opposition from his father; eventually, he overcame his father's objections and secured his permission and then he entered the koinobion of the Symboloi (ἓν τῶν κοινοβίων, λέγω δὴ τῶν Συμβόλων): Vita Nicetae Medicii (ASS April I) 11.

Athanasios 5 lived an ascetic life and became known for his humility; he was then summoned by the monastery of Medikion and appointed by the hegoumenos Nikephoros 21 to assist Niketas 43 (τὰ δεύτερα διέπειν) in running the monastery; he and Niketas 43 became very close (γίνονται οὖν ἀμφότεροι μία ψυχὴ καὶ γνώμη μία ἐν διαφόροις σώμασιν): Vita Nicetae Medicii 12.

Later Athanasios 5 took holy orders and became a deacon and then a priest (διάκονος γὰρ ἦν, μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ πρεσβύτερος): Vita Nicetae Medicii 14. He served many years as oikonomos (ὁ πιστὸς καὶ φρόνιμος οἰκονόμος) before falling ill and dying; the date was 26 February (the year is unknown): Vita Nicetae Medicii 23. Described as venerable and virtuous (ἄνδρα αἰδέσιμον καὶ θαυμαστὸν): Vita Nicetae Medicii 11.

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